


Take Your Time

by annaxmims



Series: Tumblr Prompts [146]
Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Episode Fix-it, Episode: s02e04 Friends With Benefits, Established Carlos Reyes/TK Strand, Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-25
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-15 18:29:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29688150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/annaxmims/pseuds/annaxmims
Summary: Tumblr Prompt:Hi :) Would you please write a fic following the Tarlos market scene - TK and Carlos have a fight and then don't speak to each other. The following day, Carlos is injured at work and they make up. Thanks!
Relationships: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand
Series: Tumblr Prompts [146]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1626286
Comments: 2
Kudos: 129





	Take Your Time

“I cleared out some room in your closet.”

Those words followed by the slamming of the door haunted TK the minute they left his mouth. They echoed in his brain, bouncing back and forth across the walls of his skull as he drove home and collapsed into bed without saying a word to his parents. Not that they’d even noticed him walk in, let alone what kind of mood he was in. 

He hated himself for leaving Carlos like that, hated himself for throwing his boyfriend’s insecurities back into his face. It was a dick move, an Alex move, and the very thought of acting like his ex was enough to make TK want to vomit.

He pulled out his phone and hovered over Carlos’ contact. It would be so easy just to call him, to apologize and grovel but his brain got the best of him. 

There was the completely plausible and valid possibility that Carlos was done with him after that, and he wouldn’t blame him. Carlos had been loving and kind and accepting of all of TK’s bullshit since they met. Yet TK couldn’t accept this one thing.

He opted to turn his phone off, burying it in the drawer of his bedside table to worry about later. He burrowed under the covers, pressing his pillow over his head and closing his eyes.

He wasn’t sure when he fell asleep, but he was woken abruptly by his dad shaking his shoulder.

“TK, come on get up. Did you turn your alarm off? Your shift started thirty minutes ago.”

“Shit!” TK swore throwing himself out of bed and rushing around to find his clothes. Judd was running point on Owen’s day off and he was going to have his ass for being late.

“I didn’t know you came home,” Owen commented as TK breezed past him, retrieving his phone and willing it to turn on quicker.

“Yeah, I just needed a night to myself.”

“Alright then. You better get going. Maybe Judd will take it easy on you.”

“Doubt it. I’ll see you later.”

TK drove as fast as he dared, ducking into the station, hoping to avoid Judd for as long as possible.

Unfortunately, Judd was waiting for him, leaning against one of the trucks.

TK sighed and held out his hand, grabbing the rag and bucket that Judd handed him before ruffling his hair and walking away whistling.

The day was slow, which wasn’t necessarily a good thing, but TK did manage to finish the overload of chores Judd was punishing him with before the bell rang. 

He was grateful to have something to do and grabbed his gear, hopping into the truck next to Paul.

“You alright?” Paul asked, nudging his leg with his own. “You seem off today.”

“Had a fight with Carlos last night. It’s not a big deal.”

“I’m sure you’ll work it out. After all, it’s Carlos. How bad could it be?”

“Yeah, you’re right.”

“Okay guys,” Judd rounded them up for instructions when they reached the scene. “APD is already here. TK, I want you to go with Tommy and Nancy for backup on medical. Marjan, Paul, and Mateo round up stragglers and get them out of the way. This is an APD scene, we’re just here to help so defer to them if you need to.”

TK glanced around and he had a strange heart jump moment when he realized that Carlos and his partner were there. He looked away quickly, trying not to be spotted as he jogged off to jione the paramedic crew. 

“What’s going on here?” TK asked Tommy as he followed her to triage.

“Robbery gone wrong. Just some dumb kids. As far as I know, APD has them in custody, we just need to check on the injured workers.”

“Got it.”

“TK, take that woman over there. Nancy, help me with the two teenagers.”

“Got it, Cap.”

TK approached the woman with a med bag thrown over his shoulder.

“Ma’am my name is TK. I’m here to help.”

He knelt next to her and assessed the cut on her leg.

“Okay this is gonna need some stitches but I’m gonna patch it up temporarily until we can get you to a hospital.”

He pulled things out of his bag, talking her through it as he cleaned and wrapped the wound before getting her loaded into an ambulance. 

The other two teenagers were whisked away and TK made the mistake of assuming they were home free. The robbers were in cuffs and the crew was loading up the truck to head back to the station when there were shouts from the APD crew.

“Clear out, suspect on the run.”

Judd pulled TK out of the way as the cops ran by, chasing down the guy. Carlos got to him first, tackling him to the ground.

Carlos let out a shout of pain as they hit the ground but TK couldn’t tell what was wrong until his partner had gotten him into cuffs and Carlos rolled over. TK was pretty sure his heart stopped for a split second when he realized that there was a knife sticking out of his left thigh.

“Tommy Carlos is hurt!” he shouted, grabbing a med bag and running toward his boyfriend.

“TK,” Carlos groaned when he dropped to his knees next to him.

“I’m here ‘Los.”

“It hurts,” Carlos reached down to his thigh but TK slapped his hand slightly aggressively.

“Don't touch it. They’ll take it out at the hospital, I’m just gonna pack it to stop the bleeding.”

“Okay,” he muttered.

Nancy approached them, helping to elevate Carlos’ leg while TK worked, and Tommy supervised, helping TK with his technique. They got him loaded into the ambulance and it was an unspoken agreement that TK would ride with him, technicalities be damned.

Tommy gave him something for pain en route to the hospital, so Carlos floated in and out of consciousness as he clung to TK’s hand.

Upon arrival, Carlos was whisked away and TK was left to wait. His dad joined him soon after, a comforting presence. 

They were there for almost an hour when a nurse finally came with an update.

“Carlos Reyes family?”

“That’s us.”

“So good news. There was minimal damage. Quite a few stitches and he’ll be sore for a few days. We’re also recommending that he take some time off work. Other than that he’s perfectly fine and good to go home tonight as long as someone can stay with him to take care of him.”

“That would be me,” TK said.

“Okay. I’ll go write up the discharge papers.”

*****

“Okay, watch your step.”

“I’ve got it TK,” Carlos grumbled as TK helped him through the threshold of his house. “Thank you for bringing me home. You can go now.”

“The doctor said someone needs to take care of you. I want to be here Carlos.”

“Could have fooled me,” Carlos groaned as he lowered himself down onto the couch.

“Yeah I know,” TK sighed and perched himself on the coffee table across from him. “Look I’m sorry for being a little bitch.”

“You-”

“If you’re gonna say that I wasn’t, you’re lying. I was but I’m not sorry. I just- I realized that the reason I was so upset was because all of a sudden, I felt unsafe and unstable in this relationship.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“But what I didn’t consider was how unsafe you have felt since you came out, and then I went and threw that back in your face like the world’s most inconsiderate boyfriend. So you can tell your parents that I’m a friend, a colleague, your personal shopper, I don’t care. I know what we are and that’s good enough.”

“You were right earlier,” Carlos started. “I do have someone who loves me, and I love him just as much. And I do want my parents to know how happy and comfortable I am with you. I just don’t know if I’m ready yet.”

“That’s okay Carlos. Take your time, and if you’re never ready, I’ll still be here. I’m not going anywhere.”

“I love you so much,” Carlos said, voice thick with unshed tears.

TK leaned forward to kiss him gently, “I love you more.”


End file.
